KATHMANDU -- More than a dozen health workers and nearly a dozen security personnel in Nepal have been infected with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health and Population said on Thursday.

According to the data made available by the Ministry of Health and Population to Xinhua, as many as 14 health workers, including doctors and nurses, have been infected with the virus while another 10 security personnel representing Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have also become victims of the virus. (Nepal-COVID-19-Frontliner infection)

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SEOUL -- South Korea's Unification Ministry saw the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s halt of military action plans as a positive sign for peace on the Korean Peninsula, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday.

An unnamed Unification Ministry official was quoted as saying that the DPRK's recent change in its position can be seen as a "positive sign." (South Korea-DPRK-Military action)

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MANILA -- More money flowed out of the Philippines in May 2020, the country's central bank said on Thursday.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-registered foreign portfolio investments for May 2020 yielded net outflows of 1.0 billion U.S. dollars resulting from the 1.5 billion U.S. dollars gross outflows and 486 million U.S. dollars gross inflows for the month. (The Philippines-Economy)

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SYDNEY -- The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will deploy over 1,000 military personnel to the state of Victoria to help contain an outbreak of COVID-19, authorities announced Thursday.

Victoria reported 33 new cases on Thursday, the state's largest daily increase in close to three months, further fuelling concerns over a second wave of infections. (Australia-Military-COVID-19-Victoria State)